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Statistics: Who is Online and What Are They Doing?

14 July 2009 | social media statistics,social-media | 4 Comments

who is online and what are they doing?

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The Internet is for Teeny Boppers

False. Take a few minutes to look at the data above and let me tell you why it’s interesting:

  • 5% of people over age 62 create web content (blogs, podcasts, etc). That means that in a room of 20 people aged 62 or over, at least ONE posts content to the internet. Take that, you lil buggers!
  • In a room of 17 senior citizens, at least one has joined a social network. Yeah, Grammy’s on Facebook too, y’all!
  • So one of every nine seniors you know actually comment on blogs and post critiques and ratings. Makes sense, right? I mean who is more opinionated than Grandpa? YOU try adjusting the thermostat. Sheesh.

Tech savvy behavior is becoming mainstream. Or not.

Because I study social networking, I am immersed in a world of shiny and new and by the time some people adopt tools, I’ve used, abused and quit them by a few years so it’s easy for early adopters like me to take for granted how advanced others are. Here are some stats that surprised me:

  • Only 30% of GenY and 19% of GenX create content. That seems so low, I had expected a much much much higher number as it seems so many bloggers are in this age range.
  • No age group uses RSS readers at a rate over 18%. That means no generation is conditioned to use RSS over another. It also means that RSS is still totally underutilized (much to my surprise).
  • 19% more GenYers than Young Teens join social networks. This implies that the highest rate of social networkers is in the college category which supports some theories and debunks others. This one will be a demo to watch closely, it WILL change over the next three years.

The landscape is changing

This same infographic will be different in the next several years and within a decade will be severely different; I predict much higher numbers of use in ALL age groups and believe the rate of most rapid growth will continue to be in the older age ranges as social media is no longer seen as a kid’s toy but rather a crucial marketing tool.

How do you think the web scene will change over the coming years?

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3 Comments for this entry

  • Betty Saenz EcoBroker
    August 3rd, 2009 on 8:08 am

    Great article on statistics. I try to explain how important my blogging, tweets, and other Social Media habits are to marketing properties. This article has the stats to prove it!!

  • Phil
    August 10th, 2009 on 1:49 pm

    Hi there, nice article. Do you know approximately how many people were questioned for this information? How extensive was the survey?

    Thanks

  • Lani Rosales
    August 10th, 2009 on 4:52 pm

    Phil, Forrester Research performed this survey and I cannot locate the exact number but most of their surveys that I’ve read have at least 40,000 respondents.

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